The present invention relates generally to the field of mobile devices, and more particularly to mobile devices that have various components which may be disarticulated by physically separating a shell module and a core module.
Mobile devices, including personal digital assistants (PDAs), handsets, and other computing devices, often express aesthetic features or provide operational aspects that are specific to that particular mobile device. Each of these “form factors” are tailored to a specific ergonomic or functional role. Accordingly, the capabilities and design of a mobile device is limited to the form factors accommodated therein. However, it is often the situation that one type of mobile device with a first set of form factors (e.g., ruggedized case with a durable keypad for an exposed environment) may be inappropriate for another context, which may necessitate a type of mobile device with a second set of form factors (e.g., touch-sensitive screen with a clamshell hinge for an office environment). Purchasing multiple mobile devices to satisfy each anticipated context of use may be cost-prohibitive, while carrying multiple mobile devices may be cumbersome if not unmanageable.
Further, transferring information between multiple phones is inconvenient and unsophisticated. For instance, memory cards (e.g., SIM cards) allow for transferring certain static information between mobile devices. Memory cards and other present forms of information transfer require a plurality of steps to complete the transfer and are not adapted to transfer an entire “user identity” (e.g., operating systems, applications, preferences, and content) between multiple mobile devices. Accordingly, employing a base unit that is engageable with various shells comprising distinct form factors, would provide a robust method of extending the features and functions of a mobile device to satisfy the demands of a particular context, and enhance a user's experience when integrating a system architecture of the mobile device with disparate capabilities.